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United Brethren is currently on blog sabbatical.

The Perils of Polybloggy

Dave's gone fishing.

This is a sad moment in the Bloggernacle. Dave has universal "cool," DMI is a 'nacle highlight, and he even made it to Beliefnet's Blog Heaven.

So why's he gone? Ostensibly because he's busy right now and can't commit time to three blogs. That's right, Dave is a Bloggernacle polyblogger: DMI, Bloggernacle Times, and BCC. But (and here's the rub), he will still be blogging at BT and BCC. His own blog, the venerable DMI, has been offered up on the altar of Walmart.

Been there, done that. Who can resist the lure of the Big Blogs? If I have a great idea for a post, do I plonk it at United Brethren where it may be read by 100 people, or at BCC where a 1000 people will likely read? It's all about fame, baby, and we all want that. But Dave's gone fishing, UB has only now (I think) recovered from the great BCC sell-out, Stapley hardly ever posts at Splendid Sun (although they are invariably good posts). Will John C. and Ned save their best stuff for VSoM.? Is Fowles going to pull out the stops for BT or the View? There are many others in this predicament.

So, what's the future of small blogs? It's easy really: use the Mormon Archipelago. Here, all blogs get fairly equal billing. In theory it shouldn't matter where I post as you'd see all of them at the same page at the Archipelago (whether United Brethren, Bloggernacle Times, or By Common Consent). The Archipelago is the NFL parity draft of the 'Nacle, our very own agrarian revolution. The small blogs must survive to keep the big boys honest. And those of us who polyblog (and it's great really) need no longer have a "favourite wife."

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Comments

Anonymous said ... (October 04, 2005 9:47 AM) 

Great post.

Most of my 'nacle reading is done through the Archipelago. 

Posted by Crystal

 

Anonymous said ... (October 04, 2005 11:32 AM) 

Thanks for missing DMI, Ronan. I think one of the biggest challenges of running a "successful" solo or small blog (i.e., one that is worth reading most of the time) is just coming up with new and interesting topics or commentary on a daily basis. After awhile, most bloggers end up writing on the same topics or saying the same thing over and over (and this afflicts group blogs, too). So my "blog sabbatical" gives me a break from the daily grind and hopefully gives me a chance to recharge my batteries and get a few new ideas. 

Posted by Dave

 

Anonymous said ... (October 04, 2005 12:29 PM) 

Ronan, interesting ideas, if somewhat radical.

I don't see the MA as the Great Equalizer that you seem to make it out to be, although I'm sure it's bound to have that effect. The group blogs have something solo blogs will lack, and that is the group dynamic. 

Posted by Steve Evans

 

Anonymous said ... (October 04, 2005 1:09 PM) 

I've taken a de facto sabbatical from my blog, simply because I've been so busy. But I also somehow blog at three blogs. (Mormon Metaphysics, Millennial Star, and Bloggernacle Times)

Having said that though I do tend to think MA lets infrequent but good solo blogs get read. I use it pretty regularly. I'm also not entirely sure that the "group dynamic" means a whole lot. I think a lot of solo blogs have that simply because of the comments. 

Posted by clark

 

Anonymous said ... (October 04, 2005 1:17 PM) 

The group blogs have something solo blogs will lack, and that is the group dynamic.  

I'm not sure I agree with this. Solo(ish) blogs that always comment on one another's posts have the same "group dynamic" you describe. Therefore the only thing group blogs actually provide that solo(ish) blogs don't is a single URL. But it is true that single URL = convenience for readers and more convenience for readers almost inevitably leads to bigger audiences... 

Posted by Geoff J

 

Anonymous said ... (October 04, 2005 1:17 PM) 

The only thing that group blogs have is that they draw more people in; you are not going to get a 300+ mega thread at a small blog. But some people are put-off by that.

Dave, I don't think that you have to post every day. If people use the MA, they will see so many goodies that they don't feel like one single blog has to offer them something every single day.  

Posted by Ronan

 

Anonymous said ... (October 04, 2005 1:19 PM) 

I agree with Clark. I look first at MA to see what catches my eye, it doesn't matter who's blog it is, it is the content that makes me read.

I do think we can all do more to increase the MA readership. Promoting each other's posts, especially outside the MA. I don't mean blatantly, unless called for.

I'm glad to be a very small part of the MA and hope it continues to grow.

Thanks for your post. 

Posted by don

 

Anonymous said ... (October 04, 2005 1:20 PM) 

Maybe it's pie-in-the-sky, but our intention with ldsblogs.org was indeed to provide one URL for everyone, Geoff.

Look, I don't want to overbake this. T&S will continue to squash all in its wake. But I would hate to see the small blogs give-up. To avoid that, the MA is here to serve you: write good stuff and the Great Island will assign you a box of glory. 

Posted by Ronan

 

Anonymous said ... (October 04, 2005 2:45 PM) 

Maybe it's pie-in-the-sky, but our intention with ldsblogs.org was indeed to provide one URL for everyone, Geoff. 

I completely agree Ronan. I think the original vision has come together for us quite nicely so far too.

you are not going to get a 300+ mega thread at a small blog.

Unless you blast the idea of exhaustive foreknowledge of course... I'm up in the 290's on that post . 

Posted by Geoff J

 

Anonymous said ... (October 04, 2005 11:11 PM) 

There was a learning curve with blogging for me. For a while, I fealt I needed to build credibility by offering sweet content several times a week. I finally plateaued and took like a month off. I have now found my happy place. I view Splendid Sun as *my* space. I like things to stay on topic and want to engage comments. My posts are typically more research oriented and I don't want a lot of the stuff that can happen at *public* space blogs.

When I want to have things outside of my space I post elsewhere. 

Posted by J. Stapley

 

J. Stapley said ... (October 04, 2005 11:17 PM) 

...also, before the LDSBlogs.org, I fealt that I had to give people to come to my sight every day or I would lose readership. Now, I feel like I can post once a week and still maintain the same readership because people see the healines at the Archipelago

 

Anonymous said ... (October 05, 2005 4:47 PM) 

Speaking of Polybloggy  

Posted by William Morris

 

William Morris said ... (October 05, 2005 4:48 PM) 

And this is of the worst kind.

Nate and Kaimi are off marrying gentiles.

 

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